A process of vaporizing liquid by heat exchange is a technology widely and commonly utilized in a thermal power plant, a nuclear power plant, a boiler, and the like. High pressure gas obtained by heat exchange is used for driving of a turbine by internal energy of the high pressure gas, and is used for various purposes by changing an energy form to mechanical energy, namely, kinetic energy, or further electrical energy.
The internal energy of gas is, that is, dominated by an absolute temperature of the gas, and is determined by a product of pressure and capacity, and by the type of gas, in a vessel.
Gas obtained by vaporizing liquid is hereinafter referred to as “operative gas” or “pressurant”, and liquid as a material for generating the operative gas is hereinafter referred to as “raw fluid”.
Simply, it is easy to obtain gas by applying heat to liquid. However, when vaporization is performed across a vapor pressure line, there is a case where boiling phenomenon appears, air bubbles are generated on a heat exchanger wall, a heat exchange rate is significantly lowered and efficiency is greatly lowered, and cooling efficiency of a wall on a heat source side is lowered at the same time, so that a fault in a facility is caused.
Therefore, a technology of raising pressure (hereinafter referred to as “pressurizing (pressurization)” or “increasing pressure”) preferably to a pressure state corresponding to a supercritical state and raising a temperature while avoiding boiling, when liquid as raw fluid of operative gas is supplied to a heat exchanger, is frequently used. Herein, the “supercritical” denotes a fluid state where pressure is critical pressure or higher, and a temperature exceeds a critical temperature, and the “pressure corresponding to a supercritical state” denotes a pressure state where pressure exceeds critical pressure.
Operative gas can be manufactured from supercritical fluid having the increased temperature by reduction in pressure in a evaporator. In a system for increasing the pressure of this raw fluid to pressure corresponding the supercritical state and supplying the raw fluid having the increased pressure to the heat exchanger, a mechanical device that employs kinetic energy or electrical energy as a power source and has a function of supplying fluid at a designated pressure is generally used. This device is hereinafter referred to as a “discharge device”, a “mechanical pump” or a “pump”.
This device can be driven by use of a separately provided power source or a power source using energy of manufactured operative gas which has been converted into a different energy form. Herein, conversion of the energy form denotes a process of converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, namely kinetic energy or electrical energy.
However, finally obtained high pressure operative gas itself actually has large internal energy. If this fluid can be utilized in a process of increasing the pressure of this fluid to supply the fluid having the increased pressure without conversion into an extra energy form such as electric power, a device having extremely high efficiency can be configured.
A system for increasing the pressure of a raw fluid itself, or of another fluid represented by propellant in a rocket engine, of operative gas housed in a vessel (hereinafter referred to as a “tank”) on a system and supplying the fluid at the same time by use of the pressure of the operative gas stored in the vessel, that is, the internal energy of the operative gas is referred to as a “pressurizing and supplying system”, unlike a mechanical pump system.
However, in many cases, though the pressure of the operative gas is high, the pressure of the high pressure operative gas is relatively low compared to the objective fluid in a supercritical state, and therefore direct utilization of the operative gas is not employed in a pressure increasing process of raw fluid, and a low-efficiency mechanical pump system for converting an energy form with a conversion loss is still employed. As a result, not only lowering of efficiency but also complication of the system are caused.
Therefore, particularly in a moving body, the system becomes an inefficient supply system, and increase in the mass of the system or the device, or lowering of efficiency of the system or the device is caused.
Hereinafter, related conventional technologies will be briefly described.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-191612 “VARIOUS ENERGY CONSERVATION CYCLE COMBINED ENGINE”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-191611 “VARIOUS ENERGY CONSERVATION CYCLE COMBINED ENGINE”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-174318 “VARIOUS ENERGY CONSERVATION CYCLE COMBINED ENGINE”
Thermal energy is once converted into kinetic energy by a turbine, and therefore the above inventions are completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-147122 “VARIOUS ROCKET COMBINED ENGINE”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-147120 “VARIOUS ENERGY CONSERVATION CYCLE COMBINED ENGINE”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-146850 “VARIOUS ROCKET ENGINE COMBINED ENGINE”
A propellant pressurizing and supplying system is not described. Intake supply by an atomizer is employed, and therefore the above inventions are completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-113683 “VARIOUS FULL ROTOR BLADE STEAM GAS TURBINE COMBINED ENGINE”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-002984 “VARIOUS VERTICAL FULL ROTOR BLADE STEAM GAS TURBINE COMBINED ENGINE”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-002981 “VARIOUS FULL ROTOR BLADE STEAM GAS TURBINE COMBINED ENGINE”
Thermal energy is once converted into kinetic energy by a turbine, and therefore the above inventions are completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-332541 “VARIOUS ENERGY CONSERVING CYCLE ENGINES”
The pressurizing and supplying system is not employed, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-332540 “VARIOUS FULL ROTOR BLADE STEAM GAS TURBINE COMBINED ENGINE”
Thermal energy is once converted into kinetic energy by a turbine, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-332539 “VARIOUS ENERGY CONSERVING CYCLE ENGINES”
The pressurizing and supplying system is not employed, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-100678 “VARIOUS FULL ROTOR BLADE STEAM GAS TURBINE COMBINED ENGINE”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-295612 “VARIOUS STEAM/GAS COMBINED TURBINE ENGINES”
Thermal energy is once converted into kinetic energy by a turbine, and therefore the above inventions are completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-332335 “COKE CREATING APPARATUS INCLUDING FULLY AUTOMATED, WASTE TIRE, AND WHOLE WASTE RUBBER LIQUEFACTION THROUGH EXTRACTION OF OIL COMPONENT”
The pressurizing and supplying system is not employed, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-233044 “METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ACTIVE COOLING PANEL USING THERMOSTRUCTURAL COMPOSITE MATERIAL”
A heat exchanger wall surface structure is employed, and a supplying system is not employed, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-248994 “PROPELLANT PRESSURIZING DEVICE FOR ROCKET ENGINE”
The above invention is related to a pressurizing and supplying system of a rocket engine, but the major premise of the above invention is that gas to be pressurized is installed, and therefore is basically different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-176754 “ASSEMBLING DEVICE FOR HEAT EXCHANGER”
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-153416 “HEAT EXCHANGER ASSEMBLING DEVICE”
These inventions are related to a heat exchanger manufacturing device, and therefore the above inventions are completely different from the present invention in the subject matters.
National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2011-514462 “METHOD AND DEVICE ENABLING A ROCKET ENGINE PUMP TO BE DRIVEN BY AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE”
The above invention is a “device including air intake internal combustion engine operated by an oxidizing agent, air/hydrocarbon base mixed gas, wherein supply of the oxidizing agent and fuel is performed by a circuit and a tank separated from a propellant tank of a rocket engine”, and therefore the above invention is completely different from a method for vaporizing and supplying liquid inert gas as raw fluid, performed by the present invention.
National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2008-525712 “KNEADING AND DISPLACING METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR FLUID MACHINERY AND THE USE”
The above invention does not employ pressurizing and supplying system, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2005-529030 “MOTORCYCLE ENGINE” The above invention is related to an installation form of a motorcycle engine, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-189010 “NOZZLE FOR LIQUID ROCKET ENGINE”
The above invention employs film cooling to a nozzle inner surface, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-003000 “ASSEMBLING METHOD FOR ENGINE AND ROCKET ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER”
The above invention is related to a transfer region manufacture between a combustion chamber and a nozzle skirt section, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-360702 “ROCKET ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND ITS FORMING METHOD”
The above invention is related to a combustion chamber forming method, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-195151 “PLASMA GAS PROPULSION DEVICE”
The above invention is related to efficient irradiation of a laser beam, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-207912 “DRIVING METHOD OF ROCKET ENGINE AND ROCKET ENGINE USING IT”
The above invention employs combustion of combustion gas in a combustion device after driving of a turbo pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-140698 “CONSTITUTION AND METHOD FOR COOLING LIQUID FUEL ROCKET ENGINE SYSTEM”
The above invention is related to a system for installing pressing gas in a cooling method by helium, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-320404 “NOZZLE FOR ROCKET ENGINE AND MANUFACTURE THEREOF”
The above invention is related to a regenerative cooling nozzle, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-229963 “EXPANDER CYCLE STRUCTURE IN LIQUID ROCKET ENGINE”
The above invention uses a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-288091 “rocket engine”
The above invention is related to a hybrid rocket, but is not related to a supplying system, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-077907 “SIZE STABLE THROAT INSERT OF ROCKET THRUSTER”
The above invention is related to throat insert, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2012-511120 “REGENERATIVELY COOLED POROUS MEDIA JACKET”
The above invention is related to a regenerative cooler, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2009-540190 “METHANE ENGINE FOR ROCKET PROPULSION”
The above invention uses an engine having a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2002-531748 “NOZZLE STRUCTURE FOR ROCKET NOZZLES HAVING COOLED NOZZLE WALL”
The above invention is related to a regenerative cooler itself, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
WO2011/030719 “ROCKET ENGINE SYSTEM FOR REALIZING HIGH-SPEED RESPONSE”
The above invention uses a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,790,003 “Method for magnetron sputter deposition”
The above invention employs a vapor deposition device, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,268 “Partial superheat cycle for operating a pump in a rocket system”
The above invention describes a method for driving a motor for driving a mechanical pump by gas generated by exchanging heat of an oxidizing agent, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,082,750 “Pressurizer for a rocket engine”
In the above invention, a pressure increasing and supplying machine for supplying propellant by driving a piston by a pressurizing body (pressurant) is claimed. At a glance, the reciprocating piston appears to be similar to one of claims of the present invention. However, the pressure increasing and supplying machine in the above invention supplies propellant, an object to be supplied in a supplier employed in the present invention is a pressurizing body (pressurant) that pressurizes a vessel (tank) storing propellant (fuel, oxidizing agent), and is not propellant, and therefore assumed engine systems themselves are basically different. Additionally, the greatest feature of a sequential pressure increasing and supplying machine (charger) in the present invention is that the pressurizing body (pressurant) itself is steam generated from fluid discharged from the supplying machine. That is, pressure increase and supply are performed by operative gas itself, which is the feature of the present invention and is not disclosed in the above invention. Additionally, in the present invention, even when the pressurizing body (pressurant) has low pressure, an area ratio of a piston is changed, and pressure increase is enabled. This point is not disclosed in the above invention. Accordingly, the present invention is basically different from the above invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,493 “System for reducing pump cavitation”
The above invention employs cavitation in a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,863 “Airborne gas storage and supply system”
While the title of the above invention is a gas storage and supply system, a system for using liquid helium as supercritical fluid to hold gas in the state, and obtaining gas by use of a heat exchanger to supply the gas is claimed. Particularly, in the above literature, the claim to the rocket is described as follows:
26. A method of providing a source of pressurized gas aboard a rocket powered launch vehicle, comprising the steps of: providing a storage bottle which is configured to receive and hold a stored gas at a predetermined pressurization and includes an internally mounted heating device configured to transfer heat to the stored gas; preparing the storage bottle for receiving an amount of the stored gas; pumping stored gas into the bottle from a remotely located source at a predetermined temperature until a desired pressure are attained; allowing amounts of the stored gas to exit the bottle to be directed to at least one remote location; and as the stored gas exits the bottle, employing the internally mounted heating device to control temperature of the stored gas to affect pressure of the stored gas.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the stored gas is supercritical helium at a density of at least 7 lbs/ft.sup.3.
In the contents, pressurized gas is installed as liquid, heat obtained on the rocket is extracted through a heat exchanger, and gas having desired pressure is obtained. This concept itself is a concept which an expert can easily reach, and is described in the present invention as a background.
In the above invention, existence of a vessel housing supercritical liquid helium is previously assumed. Therefore, a mechanism of pressure increase for obtaining the supercritical fluid is not clarified. In the present invention, this pressure increase is performed by low pressure gas generated by itself, and therefore the above invention is completely different from the present invention.
U.S. Patent No. 20110005193 “Method and apparatus for simplified thrust chamber configurations”
U.S. Patent No. 20100326044 “METHOD FOR COOLING ROCKET ENGINES”
U.S. Patent No. 20100218482 “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COOLING ROCKET ENGINES”
These inventions are useful for pressurization of propellant by use of a heat exchanger, which are common. As a result, in these inventions, a system for pressurizing propellant by gas from the propellant is claimed. In the present invention, using inert gas generated from raw fluid by a heat exchanger as a pressurizing body (pressurant) of propellant, and employing a system for increasing and supplying pressure by the pressurizing body (pressurant) itself are claimed, and therefore the above inventions are different from the present invention.
U.S. Patent No. 20100096491 “ROCKET-POWERED ENTERTAINMENT VEHICLE”
The above invention does not mention the pressurizing and supplying system, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the present invention.
U.S. Patent No. 20080016846 “System and method for cooling hydrocarbon-fueled rocket engines”
The above invention is related to a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,306
The above invention is related to supply by a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,900,436 “Gas-generator augmented expander cycle rocket engine”
The above invention is related to supply by a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,270 “Reaction barrel with rocket nozzles in staggered alignment and connecting ducts of unequal length” The above invention is related to supply by a mechanical pump, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,362 “Expander-cycle, turbine-drive, regenerative rocket engine”
The above invention mentions that an oxidizing agent is brought into a supercritical state, and aims at suppression of boiling. As to these points, a part of a technical problem of the above invention is common with the present invention. However, a mechanical supply means is claimed, and therefore the above invention is quite different from the supplying system of the present invention.